The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-04-06

mother Of the cub, ready Tor spring.
She was hardly three PAGES away. With,
out a seconds delay Weston stepped
from the branch ne was standing on 10
ore which brought him with the trunk
of the tree between him and the old
panther. He was just IN time, Tor st
that instant the mother Of the cub Ieapeo
on the SPOT he had left, and stood gaz-
inc with fiery eyes on the hunter, who,
with one arm clasped around prancn,
held in his right hand his bare knife, as
With every breath he drew ne expected
to see the e1raged animal spring down
upon him. Standing thus forty feet
above the ground, with only the treacn-
erous footing of limb few inches
thick. Weston knew that he was lost un-
less bv tact and skill he was &ble to
gradually make his way back to the foot
of the tree without irritating the fierce
beast into precipitating an attack upon
him. Fortunately, the cub LETT its place
higher up and leaped down to the branch
on which its mother stood slarlnS at
Weston, who was almost near enough to
her to feel her hot breath. This move
lnent of the cubs distracted the attention
of the old panther, and Weston. sheath
ing his knifetin his belt, dropped TO a
lower lirab. The panther noticed the
movement, aud sprang to the limb be-
low where Sue stood. and prevented
Weston from retrcating further.
The dogs al this time were crazy With
excitement at the foot of the tree, and
cnawcd ut the trunk and tore up the
ground in their frantic anxiety to get al
the game so far above theirreactl. Wes-
ton seeing that his retreat was cut of,
and not daring to risk ! struggle with
the panther where the slightest mlSstep
would dash him hcadlong to death, re-
turned TO his old position III the tree,
and the panther followed him. Keep
ing, bv q great effort. his body covered
by the trunk Of the tree, Weston climbed
still higher, hoping to reach a strong
creepcr that extended from the upper
part OF the oak 10 4 tree q few feet
away, believing that he might let him,
self hv his hands along the vine to the
other tree, BY which ne could easily
reach the groEnd Tic crccpcr was
strongly fastened on the oak. and he
supposed it was aS secure as the other
tree. Weston got rs far as the creeper
without the panther showing any dis
position to follow him. but he had just
seized it and was irving his weight care
fully on it, keeping his eyes on the ami
NAL below. when the mother OF the cub
seemed to be moved with renewed fury
for she sprang to q branch above, and so
made her way to the outer edge OF the
branches, toward the top Of the tree.
evidently intending 70 head the hunter
off, and spring down upon him. Weston
saw what she was intending to do, and
he knew the struggle, which could have
but ore result, was inevitable unless he
could reach the thick branches Of the
neighb boring tree by means Of the con-
meeting vine by the time the panther
reached her vantage ground above him.
He grasped the crecper ard swung him
self off Of the branch The vine gave
way at its fastenings OIL the other tree,
and Weston. keeping his hold was
swung back into the oak and brought
down to the very branch on which the
panther's cub was crouching. Instant
ly, with yell that resounded through
the woods far above the turmoil OF the
dogs below, the mother panther came
bounding down from the top Of the tree
to the protection Of her young. Weston
knew there was no escape now unless a
desperate plan that rushed through his
mind should succeed in giving new
turn to the perilous situation Drawing
his knife-fom his, belt, he plunged i in
10 the whining cub at his feet. ard at the
same time kicked II loose from the limb.